Established and built by Wesley's husband, Evan LePatner, and other key members of their family and community, the WML Foundation seeks to serve as an enduring expression of Wesley by cultivating a new generation of engaged leaders in her mold: individuals who pair professional excellence with humility and who use their expertise and networks to strengthen the nonprofit organizations, boards, and communities that depend on experienced leadership.
The launch comes at a time when nonprofit organizations and larger institutions face growing demands and need skilled leadership more than ever. As formal volunteering in America has declined by roughly 28% over the past decade¹, shrinking the pipeline of future nonprofit leaders and board members, there remains an opportunity for accomplished private-sector leaders to contribute more than financial resources. Wesley embodied that model of leadership. Today, the WML Foundation exists to help cultivate more leaders who combine professional excellence with humility, public engagement, and service, not as an honor for the leaders themselves, but as a direct investment in the institutions and communities they go on to serve.
1,000 Leaders for Nationwide Impact
Launching first in New York City, the WML Foundation aims to develop 1,000 leaders over the coming decades who will serve on nonprofit boards, launch community initiatives, mentor emerging leaders, deploy philanthropic capital more effectively, and bolster our civic institutions in cities across the country. Over time, the efforts of this nationwide network of leaders will create a multiplier effect that becomes the living expression of who Wesley was and what she believed was possible when exceptional people lead with purpose and intention.
The WML Foundation's first flagship program is Wesley Leaders, a mentorship initiative designed around the interconnected pillars of professional excellence, community engagement and philanthropic impact. Reflecting Wesley's deep commitment to the place she lived, loved and served, this selective, 24-month leadership accelerator will unite cohorts of Fellows comprising the strongest minds across industries. Each Wesley Leaders Fellow is paired with a Primary Mentor and supported by a carefully assembled Mentor Circle, bringing together accomplished leaders from business, philanthropy, public life, and beyond. Through meaningful relationships, shared experience, and ongoing guidance, Fellows hone the judgment, perspective, and sense of responsibility that define enduring, purposeful leadership and enable them to most effectively support the nonprofit organizations and civic institutions that need them. The WML Foundation will also run TeamWesley programming, that will offer opportunities for community conversations, educational programming, service initiatives, and partnerships with the places, organizations, and institutions that mattered deeply to Wesley in New York City.
"What we are officially launching today is not just the start of a love letter to my amazing wife," said Evan LePatner, Founder and Chair of the WML Foundation Board of Directors. "We are building programs and a community that she would have led, nurtured, and inspired many others to join. The work of the WML Foundation is critically needed in this complex and rapidly evolving time. There is nothing more important than investing in leaders whose values bring people together and strengthen communities. That investment will help forge a stronger future for the citizens of New York City and our country more broadly."
In addition to being chaired by Evan LePatner, the Wesley Mittman LePatner Foundation will be led by Chief Executive Officer Laurie Blitzer, who brings decades of experience across the private sector, philanthropy, and civic engagement. The Foundation will also be guided by its founding Board of Directors, which is composed of industry leaders spanning corporate, charitable, and public service sectors.
"Wesley was the type of leader who is increasingly rare in this day and age. She was someone who showed up for people one hundred percent and successfully brought together the personal, professional, and spiritual threads of her life," said Laurie Blitzer, Board Member and Chief Executive Officer of The WML Foundation. "I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the WML Foundation in its mission to carry Wesley's values into the world through building and strengthening great leaders with enduring impact. We will do this work the way Wesley did everything: with full commitment, the highest standards, deep and sustained investment in people, and a genuine love for elevating the places where we live and the communities we serve."
"We have known Wesley personally and professionally for more than two decades and are honored to have the chance to work with Evan and many of the people who were closest to her to bring The Wesley Mittman LePatner Foundation to life," added WML Foundation Board members Brian Friedman, President of Jefferies Financial Group, and Suzanne Peck, President of UJA-Federation of New York. "Wesley had a deep conviction that professional achievement should not exist in a vacuum, but that it comes with the responsibility to strengthen the people, institutions, and communities around us. Together, we cannot think of a better expression of Wesley than to help catalyze a growing cadre of passionate leaders who will build a world worthy of her legacy."
For more information on The Wesley Mittman LePatner Foundation, visit http://www.thewmlfoundation.org/.
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¹ Source: Do Good Institute at the University of Maryland and the U.S. Census Bureau/AmeriCorps.
SOURCE The Wesley Mittman LePatner Foundation
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